Datacenters often include multiple power distribution units (PDU's) contained within equipment racks. Intelligent rack-mounted power distribution units, sometimes referred to as “rack PDU's,” are typically connected to a computer or computer network. Rack PDU's generally include at least one branch input power feed, single or three phase, with multiple receptacles to power attached equipment. Rack PDU's often include metering functions to measure and calculate voltage, current, power, and environmental data as well as a processor, memory and network management device for remote communication and management. Rack PDU's may measure aggregate load data based on phases and/or breaker banks, feeding multiple receptacle outputs, or they may include metering loads at each individual receptacle output. A rack PDU may communicate the measurements with the computer or computer network to which it is connected. An exemplary rack PDU is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,741,442, which is assigned to American Power Conversion Corporation of West Kingston, R.I., the assignee of the present disclosure, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
When a new rack PDU is added to a datacenter, physical communication cables are installed between the new rack PDU and a network and/or computer to enable the new rack PDU to share data with a computer or computer network. Additionally, an administrator spends time associating the new rack PDU with a new Internet Protocol (IP) address and connecting the new rack PDU with the computer or computer network.